Windsor-Detroit Area Considering FINA Short Course World Championships Hosting Bid

WINDSOR, Canada, August 29. THE City of Windsor council has begun discussions on whether to bid to be the host city of the FINA Short Course World Championships in 2016 or 2018 according to the CBC. Additionally, Detroit, Mich., which is connected to Windsor by the Detroit Windsor Tunnel underneath the Detroit River, could potential link up with Windsor to become a regional host.

The host site would likely be the WFCU Centre, where Canada would need to build a temporary pool to be donated to the city afterwards, similar to the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha.

“It also has the ability to be a theatre style event so that we can light and show through music and lighting our athletes as stars,” Canadian FINA member Margo Mountjoy told the CBC.

The council initially met Tuesday to discuss the potential to make a bid, but will make the decision next week. Because of the lack of pool space in Windsor, the potential to work with Detroit on the bid has been mentioned.

“There's no question that this event would bring international exposure to Windsor-Essex,” said Larry Alexander, president of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The article also states that the meet can generate up to $18 million in “economic benefits” for the host city, which would come at a cost of nearly $10 million to host it.